Lost in the Darkness
by Zerectica
Summary: Chuck will always be there for Sarah. With Chuck by her side, Sarah can overcome any obstacle.
1. Chapter 1

"Sarah!? Sarah!?" Chuck shouted, running though the house. "Sarah?! Are you okay!?" Chuck continued shouting as he flew up the stairs and toward the loud sound.

Based on the sound he heard, Chuck guessed that Sarah had bumped into the small table in the bedroom, on which sit several vases of flowers. Falling down and taking the table with her causing all the glass to shatter on the hardwood floor.

Chuck rushed through the doorway to the bedroom and saw Sarah, who was visibly shaken, on the floor surrounded by a large quantity of glass, water and flowers. The table luckily, had fallen away from her.

Sarah had pulled herself up onto her hands and was now attempting to crawl away from the area where she had fallen, and all the glass.

"Sarah! Don't move!" Hearing the desperation in his voice Sarah did as she was told and stopped moving. "I'm gonna go get the broom and dustpan and clean this up. Just stay still. Promise me that you won't move."

"I promise."

A couple minutes later Chuck, had returned with the broom and dustpan and began cleaning up the mess. After, first picking up all the flowers, Chuck started sweeping up all the shards of glass. Making sure he got every last bit of glass, Chuck also vacuumed the area, after he finished sweeping. Sarah did as promised and sat very still while Chuck cleaned the mess.

Once he was certain every last piece of glass, had been cleaned up, he carefully picked Sarah up and carried her over to the bed, gently setting her down.

She had small cuts and scrapes all over her legs and a few on her arms. Chuck, headed into the bathroom to get a wet cloth and the first aid kit, to clean her up.

As he was tending to her injuries, Chuck began to reprimand her, "Why did you get out of bed, Sarah!? What were you thinking!? You know the doctor gave you strict orders to stay in bed for the next three days and here it is not even six hours later and you're already disregarding the doctor's orders!? You almost died last week! You were in a coma! You just got out of the hospital a few hours ago. You haven't recovered enough to be stable on your feet yet."

Chuck's tone softened as he began to speak more gently. "Combine that along with your blindness and you really shouldn't be leaving this bed. I'm here and I'll get you anything you want or need. Do anything for you. While you were in the hospital, I promised you that I'd be there for you, that I'd take care of you and I meant it."

"I'm sorry, Chuck. You're always there for there for me and I need to trust you to be able to take care of me, while I'm recovering," Sarah responded crying.

Chuck, learned forward kissing Sarah's forehead. "I'm sorry that I got so upset. It's just, when I heard you fall and heard all that glass shattering, I was so worried. Then seeing you on the floor like that, all cut up really scared me."

Chuck pulled Sarah close, her back against his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her while she rested her head on his shoulder and cried.


	2. Chapter 2

The pouring rain was pelting down on the hard surface of the asphalt below, a powerful thunderstorm just overhead. The dark night, illuminated only by the flashes of lightning.

At the exact same moment as a loud crack of thunder, Sarah was attacked from behind. A large metal pipe, striking her in the back of her kneecap, causing extreme pain to surge throughout her entire body. When she fell to the asphalt below, she was attacked again. This time receiving a powerful blow to the head then everything went black has she collapsed on the ground.

Sarah awoke with a jolt, crying, haunted by the events that night. Feeling the sudden movement of the bed and hearing Sarah's frightened tears, woke Chuck and he immediately wrapped his arms around her.

Chuck too, was haunted that night's events. Seeing her on the ground like that, the pool of blood spreading out from her heard, trickling into her hair and mixing with the rainwater, it almost killed him. When he saw that she was unresponsive, he laid over her protectively and cried. He refused to get up until the chopper arrived to rush her to the hospital and then demanded to go with her.

As much Chuck was haunted by that night, it was the week sitting at her bedside, as she lies in a coma, slowly dying that really haunted him. He refused to leave her, even for a minute. He refused to give up hope, despite the fact that neither the doctors, nor his sister held out much hope for her survival.

He didn't listen. Instead he sat with her, holding her and talked to her. "You're stronger than this, Sarah. Fight for it. Fight for your life. Fight for us!"

When Sarah did eventually come out of her coma, she kept asking why she couldn't open her eyes. She kept repeating that her eyes wouldn't open and the doctor kept insisting that they were open. He tired to explain things to her, but she wouldn't listen. It wasn't until Chuck talked to her that she started to believe what they were telling her.

When Sarah realized she was blind, she couldn't stop crying for over an hour. It killed Chuck to see her like that, but all he could do was hold her and hand and assure her that he was there, that he'd always be there.

Her doctor did tell her that there was a slim chance that her sight would return, but not to get her hopes up as her chances were only about 30. He also informed her that if it were to return, it would occur within two weeks, but that if after two weeks it hadn't returned, it wasn't ever going to happen.

Back in the bedroom, Chuck was still holding Sarah in his arms, trying to quiet her tears. Chuck knew what had awakened her and why she was crying but he didn't know how to make it better. So, he just kissed her cheek and continued to hold her close.

When her tears finally subsided, Sarah reached for Chuck's hand. Seeing Sarah's attempt to locate his hand, Chuck took hold of hers.

Once her hand was in his, Sarah began to speak, "Chuck," the tone in her voice was sad from all her crying. "What if I don't get my sight back?"

"You gotta have faith, Sarah."

"But, what if it doesn't and I'm blind forever?"

Chuck squeezed Sarah's hand, "then we'll deal with it together."

After several more minutes of crying, Sarah finally fell back to sleep in Chuck's arms. The nightmare that haunted her faded away to be replaced by peaceful dreams that were brought about by being wrapped up in his embrace.

When Chuck woke up that morning, his arms were still wrapped around Sarah and she had her head buried in his chest. A few minutes later, Sarah began to stir, when she opened her eyes, she jumped and started shaking. She wasn't used to waking up to see nothing.

"It's okay, Sarah. I'm right here. Chuck said taking Sarah's hand. After a few moments she calmed back down. "I'm gonna go get you something for breakfast. Will you be okay alone for a minute?"

"Just don't be gone too long, please," her voice was shaky and weak.

"I won't"

Less than three minutes later, Chuck had returned with a bowl of cereal, Cocoa Puffs. Sitting on the bed next to Sarah, he tried to hand her the bowl.

"I can't," she cried.

"It's okay. We'll work on it. Until then, I'll help you." Chuck then proceeded to feed Sarah her breakfast.

By the time lunch rolled around Chuck had already planned what he would make. He went down to the kitchen, got down a plate then he located the bread, the luncheon meat and all the other ingredients needed to make a sandwich. Sarah wouldn't have to worry about trying to use silverware. She could hold a sandwich in her hands and feed herself.

After he finished constructing the sandwich, he then took it upstairs along with a glass of milk containing a straw. "Sarah, I have your lunch ready. Here you go."

"I can't, Chuck."

"Sarah, it's a sandwich. You can handle that. Here you are." Chuck said as he put the sandwich in her hands.

For several seconds Sarah sat there, unmoving, the sandwich in her hands. With a little encouragement from Chuck, Sarah lifted the sandwich to her mouth and took a bite. When she wanted something to drink, Chuck held the glass in front of her and helped her find the straw.

For the next two days, things continued on in about the same about way. Chuck continued getting Sarah what she needed and being there for her when she needed comfort. The only difference was, that she was okay with Chuck being away for longer periods of time.

By the fourth day of being home and the first day her order of bed rest was over, Sarah was so tired of being in bed that she had to get up right away. There was a little problem with that however, Sarah had no idea where she was. She knew she was in some sort of two story house, but she didn't remember ever living in any house.

The reason for that was probably because they had only just started the process of moving in when Sarah was taken to the hospital. The day Chuck brought her home was actually the first day they started living there.

She was going to need Chuck's help and as always he was there. Helping her out of bed, he put one of her arms around her shoulder and the other he wrapped around his waist. Counting her time in the hospital, Sarah had been in bed for the last week-and-a-half and was still a bit unsteady on her feet.

Once Sarah was able to regain her balance, Sarah took her arm off Chuck's shoulder but kept the other wrapped around him. Chuck then took Sarah's free arm and slowly started walking around the room.

Guiding her hand along the furniture and walls, Chuck described the layout of the room. Starting at the bed, they walked counterclockwise around the room. Three steps from the bed, in one corner of the room was a dresser, with four drawers, into which Sarah's clothes had been carefully arranged. In the top drawer were shirts.

Chuck opened the drawer and placed Sarah's hand inside, showing her how they had been arranged. Red on this side going through the colors of the rainbow with blue and purple on the other side, on opposite ends of the drawer were black and white shirts. Chuck did the same thing with each of the other three drawers.

Continuing around the corner and five steps from the dresser was a small table, the same table Sarah had fallen over a few days before. Behind the table there was a large window.

After reaching the wall opposite the bed they came up on the master bathroom. After a quick trip though, they came back out into the bedroom. A couple steps past the door to the bathroom was the closet. Chuck opened the door and ran Sarah's hand along her clothes, showing her where they were.

Turning the next corner going four more steps the reached the door that led out of the bedroom. They passed the door and continued walking along the wall, reaching noting until they came to the final corner, where which sit another dresser. This one containing Chuck's clothes.

With just a few more steps they reached the other side of the bed. It was then that Sarah, started to weaken her lose her balance, almost slipping out of Chuck's grasp. So, he scooped her up and laid her back on the bed to rest for a while.

After Sarah had rested for a while and regained her strength, Chuck continued showing her the rest of the upstairs.

Then they headed downstairs, where Chuck showed her the couch and chairs in the living room and the sink and cabinets in the kitchen, along with the rest of the house.

Chuck, walked Sarah through the house every morning, trying to help her memorize it.

On the fourth day, frustrated and crying, Sarah sank onto the couch, saying she'd never get it.

"Of course you will Sarah. It's just gonna take some time. You're getting better every day. Soon you'll be able to get around this house without any help."

"Chuck. I don't understand. Why are you still here taking care of me? You can't enjoy having to do so much for me. Why didn't you just take off and leave me once I was able to get out of bed?"

"Are you kidding? I love you, Sarah and I would never leave you. You've taken care of me for so long now it's my turn to do the same for you."

"Do you remember this?" Chuck asked taking Sarah's right hand and placing it on top of her left.

There was something there, so Sarah began feeling it with her fingers. When she realized it was an engagement ring, tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks. Forgotten memories of that day started coming back to her.

Two days before she ended up in the hospital, Chuck had asked her to marry him. She couldn't remember what the ring looked like but she did remember the look on Chuck's face when he asked her. She also remembered his pure joy when she accepted.

Then her happiness transformed into worry. "Chuck, do you still want to marry me, even though I might be blind for the rest of my life?"

Chuck took Sarah's hand into his own, running his thumb across her ring. "Sarah, I love you and nothing will ever change that. Of course I still wanna marry you."

"I've been wanting to do this since you first got home," Chuck confessed before pulling her in for a long passionate kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

"Look at you!" Chuck beamed two days later when he saw Sarah walk down the stairs and into the kitchen on her own, while he was busy making breakfast. "I told you that you could do it."

Sarah felt such a sense of accomplishment with her ability to get from the bedroom, down the stairs and into the kitchen without any assistance.

"Something just smelled so good that I couldn't wait and I had to get down here right away."

"Well, I'm proud of you."

"So, what's for breakfast?" Sarah said as she felt for a chair and sat down.

"Pancakes, with butter and maple syrup and a glass of orange juice." Chuck said setting a plate down on the table in front of Sarah.

The pancakes smelled so good and Sarah was hungry, so she couldn't wait to taste them. First though, she wanted some orange juice.

When she reached for the orange juice, she just missed the glass, causing it to tip over, the contents spilling into her plate and all over the table and floor.

"It's okay. There's plenty more," Chuck said trying to reassure Sarah after seeing the look on her face.

"No Chuck! It's not okay! I can't do anything right!"

Angrily she got up and stormed away from the table, not concentrating on where she was going, which lead to her tripping over the coffee table and falling to the floor.

Chuck came and sat on the carpeted floor next to Sarah, who had now begun to cry. Knowing there was nothing he could say that would make her feel any better, Chuck just sat there silently. He wasn't sure if he should hold her or if that would just upset her more. He couldn't stand to see her hurting when there was nothing he could do to help.

"I can't do this!" Sarah sobbed. "I can't handle this! I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know how to make this work. I'm not used to those kinds of feelings. I've always been able to handle any kind of situation, but not this."

"I'm here. We're in this together," Chuck said placing his hand on gently on her shoulder.

Angrily, Sarah shoved it away. "No Chuck! We're not in this together! You're not the one whose blind! Just me! I'm alone in this. You have no idea what I'm going through!"

Sarah, then shoved Chuck, causing him to fall over. "I want to be alone, so go somewhere, far, far away from me!"

"You're just going to sit there on the floor?"

"Yes! I am! So get lost!"

"You sure you don't want to at least sit on the couch or something?"

"No! I Don't! Now, get out of here, before I kill you!"

Chuck got up from his position on the floor and disappeared out the front door.

Twenty minutes later, Sarah's anger and frustration over the events that took place at breakfast had passed. She started thinking about Chuck. She hoped that she hadn't upset him too much, that he hadn't gone too far and that he'd be home soon.

Two-and-a-half hours had gone by and he still hadn't returned. Ten minutes later, when he still hadn't returned, Sarah began running though the entire house, bumping into various objects and walls, frantically calling his name to no avail. He wasn't there. She knew this, but yet she still called.

She had yelled at him, threatened him, hurt him, all when he'd done nothing wrong. She had run him off and he wasn't coming back. She couldn't blame him, she'd treated him horribly when all he was trying to do was make her feel better.

Sarah, collapsed face down on the couch, distraught over losing the best thing that had ever happened in her life.

A few minutes later, from her position on the couch, Sarah heard the front door open. Chuck had finally returned.

Sarah got up from the couch and started making her way to him, joyfully calling his name but he just walked right past her, not even acknowledging her presence. She felt the air cut through as he walked by just inches from her.

Pain and fear consumed her. He was leaving. He had only returned to get his things. Sarah fell to her knees, her hands buried in her face, willing herself not to cry. She was determined to not let him hear her crying as he walked out of her life forever.

A minute later, strong arms were wrapped around her. "I'm sorry. I was overloaded with groceries."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Sarah asked in a tearful voice. "I thought you were leaving me."

"This is why." Chuck said putting something in her hands.

"Flowers?" Sarah questioned, feeling what Chuck had put in her hands. A bouquet of flowers wrapped in plastic.

"Yeah. They're violet roses. Unique and beautiful. Just like you."

Sarah held them up to her nose to breathe in the scent of them.

"My arms were so full of groceries that I had no way to hold them and open the door at the same time. I had to hold the flowers in my mouth for a minute so that I could get the door open. That's why I wasn't able to answer you. Now, how could you ever think I'd leave you?"

"After what I said..."

"I love you, Sarah. You have my ring. I'm not going anywhere. I belong to you now. You've got me forever."

Chuck sat kneeling on the floor with his arms wrapped around Sarah for several minutes before helping her up.

"Let's get these in water" Chuck said as he started leading her toward the kitchen.

"No," Sarah said clutching the flowers to her chest and turning away, as though she were a small child and you were trying to take her security blanket away from her. "Not yet. I wanna hold them a little longer."

"Okay. That's alright. I'm going to go put the groceries away. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah." Sarah replied, making her way to the couch.

Chuck watched Sarah from the kitchen as he was putting the groceries away. Sitting on the couch, holding her flowers close, smelling them and running her finger across the top of the petals. She was so beautiful. How did he ever come to be so lucky to have someone like her in his life, to be engaged to the most incredible woman in the world? He truly was blessed.

Sarah felt the couch sink beside her. Chuck was by her side again. She held out the roses to him. She had heard him locate a vase and fill it with water and she also knew that he had brought it with him to the couch.

After he'd put the flowers in the vase and set it on the coffee table, Chuck noticed the smile Sarah had on her face. "What?"

"I was thinking about lucky I am to have you."

"I was just thinking the same about you" Chuck replied.

This time it was Sarah who pulled Chuck in for a kiss. She ran fingers through his hair, she loved the feeling of his hair in her hands. Sarah pulled Chuck even closer, until their bodies were pressed tightly against one another as she continued kissing him deeply.

They sat together in each other's embrace, talking about nothing in particular until Sarah fell asleep on his lap.

By now it was almost lunchtime and Chuck knew that Sarah must've been hungry as she never did get to eat her breakfast. As he stood, Chuck gently picked Sarah up then gently laid her back down on the couch so as not to wake her.

"Sarah." Chuck whispered as he lightly kissed her cheek. The gentle touch of his lips on her skin was all it took to wake her. "I made you a sandwich, ham and cheese. What would you like to drink?"

"Just a glass of water, please."

After what happened at breakfast with the orange juice, all of Sarah's confidence was shattered and she was hesitant about drinking the water. She wouldn't try it own her own. Chuck took her wrist and guided her hand to the glass. The second time she wanted a drink, she was able to locate the glass just by Chuck talking her through it. By the third time she was able to locate the glass on her own, restoring some of her confidence in herself and her abilities.

The next morning as Chuck and Sarah were getting ready for the day, they heard the doorbell ring. As Chuck began to leave the bedroom to go answer the door, Sarah grabbed his arm stopping him. "Please send them away. Don't let them in and don't tell them anything about me.

"Why?"

"Please, Chuck. Just do this for me, please." Sarah, pleaded with him her eyes tearing up.

"Okay Sarah, I will." Chuck said placing a sweet kiss on her cheek.

As Chuck reached the bedroom door, Sarah spoke again, "Chuck?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"No matter who it is."

"I promise."

Chuck opened the front door to see his sister standing there. "Ellie."

"Hi, Chuck. I thought I'd come by and see your new house and see how Sarah's doing."

"I'm sorry, Ellie. Sarah's not really ready for visitors just yet."

"Well how is she?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Sarah asked me not to."

Ellie began to protest, but Chuck stopped her. 'Look, I'm really sorry, Ellie. I love you, but you're gonna have to go."

"Can't I at least see the house?"

"Some other time. I really need to go check on Sarah now, so goodbye Ellie." Chuck said as he hugged his sister and sent her on her way.

As Chuck shut the door behind Ellie, he leaned on the back of the door his hand still resting on the doorknob. He hated having to do that to his sister.

It was the very next afternoon when the doorbell rang again. Having mastered navigation of the house, Sarah retreated into another room, leaving Chuck alone on the couch where they had been cuddling. Concerned with her sudden exit, Chuck quickly followed her.

When Chuck briefly came into view of the person outside the door, they saw that he was heading away from the door instead of toward it. That's when the pounding began, "Open the door, Bartowski!" It was Casey.

"Send him away, Chuck." Sarah pleaded as he caught up to her.

He found her sitting on the floor of the dining room. "What's wrong, Sarah? Why are you on the floor?"

"Just get rid of him, Chuck" was all she said.

"Casey will be a lot harder to dissuade than Ellie."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, as Sarah reached out toward him, making contact with his arm. She then proceeded to twist it around, causing Chuck to wince with pain. "I don't care! Now get rid of Casey!"

"Okay, okay. I will" Chuck's voice strained by the pain in his arm.

Chuck opened the front door just enough for him to get through, shutting it behind him and standing in front of it to prevent Casey from entering.

"Let me in Bartowski!"

"No."

"You're refusing to let me in!?"

"Yeah, I am. Look. Sarah just got out of the hospital after being in a coma for a week. She doesn't need lot of people around just yet. Please, just understand that and go."

Casey started toward Chuck, but he stood his ground. "Fine Bartowski. I'll go for now, but next time you're going to let me in." Chuck let out a huge sigh of relief as Casey left.

Chuck headed back into the dining room, where Sarah was still on the floor but now she was curled into a ball rocking back and forth while crying.

Chuck crouched on the floor and wrapped his arms around Sarah's shoulders. "It's okay. He's gone now."

A tearful Sarah nodded as Chuck helped her up. With Chuck's arms still around her, they walked back to the couch. Once they reached their destination, Sarah clutched the front of his shirt tightly in her fist and buried her face in his chest, a few tears were still streaming down her face and she was shaking.

Sarah was so terrified when that doorbell rang. She showed a similar reaction yesterday after Ellie left. When Chuck got back to the bedroom she had hugged him close with her face buried in his chest, squeezing him so tightly, he had difficulty breathing and she had refused to let go for five minutes.

The thought of anyone seeing her like this shook her to her very core. She didn't want anyone in the house, she refused go out in public, She wouldn't even talk to anyone on the phone. She didn't even like for Chuck to be on the phone.

It made her nervous when Chuck would talk to his sister. He could only be on the phone for a few minutes before she would start to breakdown and Chuck would have to end the call. Chuck was the only person that Sarah could be comfortable around.

Chuck never said anything but Sarah's reaction to other people worried him. She couldn't keep herself locked up in the house for the rest of her life. She needed to get back out in the world again, interact with other people again. He would give her a few more days to see how she did before he'd start actively trying to get her out of the house and comfortable around other people again.


	4. Chapter 4

As the day marking two weeks arrived, Sarah was afraid to open her eyes, afraid of what she would see or wouldn't see. Sensing Sarah's anxiety Chuck took her hand. Lying on the bed holding Chuck's hand, Sarah kept trying to will herself to open her eyes, but she couldn't. Her fear was too great. It was several minutes later before Sarah's will finally won out and she gained the courage to open her eyes.

Blackness. Nothing but complete and total blackness. Chuck had not needed to ask to know the results, he just moved closer to her and held her tightly as she cried.

Sarah refused to give up hope, refusing to accept the lifelong sentence. She kept saying she had until the end of the day to get her sight back. "It's going to come back. I'm going to get better, you'll see. I will."

That day passed by excruciatingly slow for Sarah as she sat in the darkness. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. It was going to happen. It had to. She couldn't live like this for the rest of her life. These last two weeks have unbearable enough. She couldn't do anything. Nothing beyond walking from room to room, but only if she went slowly and on occasion feed herself. No, she couldn't go on like that forever. That's why she knew she was going to see again.

Sarah sat on the couch all day, listening to the sounds of the clock tick by. For Sarah, each tick represented being one moment closer to her recovery. For Chuck, every tick of the clock represented one step closer to Sarah realizing the truth.

That night, Sarah didn't want to sleep, saying she wanted to see the moment in which her sight would be restored. She laid in bed, her eyes open and her face toward Chuck. She said the first thing she wanted to see was his face. Chuck was quite touched by Sarah's statement, but it also broke his heart because he knew that wasn't going to happen and he knew that Sarah was going to have to come to terms with that sooner or later.

Unable to stay awake, Sarah did eventually fall asleep. It wasn't until then that Chuck let sleep take over his body as well. He wanted stay awake as long as she was, so that he could be there for her in case she realized that she wasn't going to get better.

Worried about Sarah, Chuck woke up very early that morning. He knew that when she woke, the realization would finally hit her. He didn't know how she was going to react, but he knew it wasn't going to be good.

Chuck was downstairs making Sarah a special breakfast, when he started hearing signs that indicated Sarah would be waking up soon. Putting the finishing touches on Sarah's breakfast he headed up toward the bedroom. He hadn't brought her breakfast in bed since she had been on bed rest, but today was going to be a hard day for Sarah and he was going to do everything he could to try and make it a little easier.

When Chuck made it to the top of the stairs, Sarah woke up. The doorway to the bedroom came into view just in time for him to see a pillow fly across the room and land on the floor, then another one. If there had been anything else on the bed that Sarah could've thrown she would have.

"Sarah, I have some breakfast for you" Chuck said as he sat the tray over her lap.

No sooner than he had set it down, Sarah shoved it in the floor. Creating a mess of bacon, eggs, toast and milk on the floor next to the bed.

After throwing her breakfast on the floor, Sarah yelled, "Get out, Chuck!"

He tried to comfort her, but before he could close enough, she started yelling again, "Don't touch me! Stay away from me!"

Chuck backed away and instead went about cleaning up the mess she had made. He then left the room and went back downstairs.

He tried going back upstairs again at lunch and was met with the same reaction. Sarah shoved her food in the floor then started yelling at Chuck. "Go away! Leave me alone! Stop coming in here! I don't want you anywhere near me!"

Sarah was taking it a lot harder than he thought she would. She refused to ever get out of bed. She wouldn't eat, choosing instead to always throw her food in the floor. She yelled at Chuck whenever he entered the room. If he dared get near her, she shoved him.

Chuck tried for two days to get her out of bed, to get her to eat but it was always the same. All of Sarah's hopes of her sight ever being restored had been shattered and it was more than she could take. She had believed so hard that she was going to get better, that she was going to be able to see again. She never expected to be blind for the rest of her life. She may have talked about the possibility, but she never once actually thought it would happen.

As Sarah wouldn't let him anywhere near her, Chuck had to sleep on the couch. He hated it. The couch was cold and lonely. He missed the feeling of her warm body next to him. He missed holding her and talking together until they fell asleep. He missed waking up to find her head on his chest and their bodies entangled. He missed their good morning and goodnight kisses. He missed whispering 'I love you' in her ear just before she drifted off to sleep.

He tried to sneak up the stairs and into the bedroom after she had fallen asleep but she always woke up and started yelling the second he stepped though the door. He tried ignoring her and kept walking toward the bed, with every step he took her anger grew. He tried to join her on the bed but she forcibly shoved him in the floor.

It had been three days since Sarah's drastic mood change and she wasn't getting any better. If anything she was worse. She had already thrown him out seven times today and it was only noon.

Several hours after Sarah's latest outburst, Chuck tried again to approach her. The second he got to the doorway Sarah began her attack on him.

"Get out of here, now!" Chuck continued to stand in the doorway, unable to move. "I told you to get out and stay away from me!"

Sarah's anger and hatred were growing stronger by the second. When he continued to stand in the doorway, Sarah removed her engagement ring from her finger and threw it in Chuck's direction, striking him in the chest. A look of satisfaction crossed Sarah's face as she heard the ring make contact with her target.

Sarah's actions deeply hurt Chuck. Being hit with the ring hadn't hurt physically, well it did sting a little, Sarah had a really good arm and her blindness hadn't affected her aim. She had hit his chest dead center.

Emotionally, though Sarah had completely crushed him with her actions. The ring representing his love had been turned into a weapon directed at his person. Sarah followed up her painful actions with painful words.

"Now get out of here and don't _ever_ come back! I mean it, Chuck! I don't want you around ever again! I want you out of my life _forever_!"

Chuck bent down to pick up the precious symbol of his love, which had so callously been discarded by the one he loved. Chuck looked at the ring in his hand overcome with the pain of knowing that it was no longer on the finger of his one true love. Chuck closed his hand around the ring as he left his beloved Sarah behind with tears in his eyes.

Chuck lay on the couch, tears streaming down his face, still clutching the ring in his hands. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Chuck couldn't believe that Sarah had just thrown him out of her life forever, after all they had been through to get to this point, all the troubles they'd had in trying to start their relationship. Now it was over.

For hours Chuck remained on the couch shocked, devastated and crying. He stayed there until he couldn't take the pain any longer. Sarah didn't want him anymore, well fine he wasn't going to stay around where he wasn't wanted. Chuck laid Sarah's ring down on the coffee table and disappeared into the night.

Wandering the lonely streets, his hands in his pockets and his head held low, Chuck continued replaying the day's events in his head. He had never seen her so angry. He had never heard her yell so loud before. Never had she shown so much hatred toward him.

Chuck had become so troubled over what had happened that he didn't know that he had just walked into the street. He didn't notice the car that was heading straight toward him. The driver of the car who was busy playing with the radio didn't notice that he was about to run into someone. The car just kept accelerating toward him. Both Chuck and the man in the car were completely oblivious to the impending impact.

The man in the car looked up just in time to swerve, barely missing Chuck. Chuck didn't care. Actually, he wished the driver had hit him and ended his miserable life. Chuck couldn't bare to go on with life without Sarah in it. If fate wasn't going to work for him and let him die, he was just going to have to take matters into his own hands and do it himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Chuck sat in the sand of the darkened beach, thinking of ways to end his life, as the surf washed up over his feet. He tried to keep his thoughts on his plans of suicide, but he found his thoughts instead drifting to ones of Sarah. Filling his mind were thoughts of how she was all alone and scared in that bed, which she adamantly refused to leave, thoughts of how she refused to eat. He thought of how she had given up on life and was now slowly dying.

Chuck had sat in the sand all night and now the sun was beginning to grow out of the horizon. Despite everything he still loved Sarah and even if she hated him, he wasn't just going to leave her to let her die. She was going through a lot and really needed his help and support right now, whether she wanted it or not.

Getting up from the sand, Chuck headed back toward home, still a bit shaken from almost being run over earlier. Apparently, the near run in with the car rattled him more than he thought it had, leading to his momentary lapse in logical thought, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. It's what made him see what needed to be done.

An hour later he finally arrived at the front door of his house. He tried to enter quietly, but he wasn't quiet enough. Sarah heard the door close and she was furious. Furious that Chuck had returned, but he wasn't going to let anything she said or did stop him. He'd had enough. She needed to snap out of it. She couldn't go on being angry for the rest of her life just because she was blind.

Right away she began yelling at him. "Turn around and go back out that door, Chuck! I told you to stay out of my life forever! I _hate_ you, Chuck! Leave this house this instant!"

Chuck couldn't fight the tears that came, but he didn't let that stop him and continued through the house to the kitchen. He wasn't just going to sit by while she died. It was only three weeks ago that he almost lost her forever. He wasn't going to go through that again, not when he could do something about it. She needed to eat something and she needed to eat now and he was going to make sure that she did.

Hearing Chuck moving throughout the house, Sarah continued screaming at the top of her lungs. Yelling out words of hate and demanding that he leave.

The bowl of cereal Chuck had prepared was ready, so he cautiously headed up to the bedroom. The closer he got to the bedroom the louder Sarah's yelling became.

When he reached the bedroom, Sarah began threatening him. "Chuck, if you come near me, I'll punch you right in the face and if you touch me I swear I'll kill you."

"Well then, I guess you're going to have to kill me because you're going to eat something, even if I have you force you to."

Chuck sat on the bed next to Sarah, carrying a small tray and the cereal. Feeling the bed sink beside her, Sarah began swinging her arms. While she didn't punch him in the face, she did repeatedly pound him in his chest. He would have quite a few bruises in the morning from the force with which she hit him.

Sarah kept swinging her arms until they began to tire and Chuck was able to hold her down. "Sarah, stop that right now! You are not going to get rid of me this time! You're going to eat something."

"You can't ma.." Sarah didn't know that Chuck already had the spoon ready and when she opened her mouth to speak, he stuck the spoon in.

After swallowing the first bite, Sarah's hunger took over. Seeing that Sarah was responding to the food he tried to hand her the spoon, but, she threw it in the floor. Luckily he had come with an extra supply of spoons. He tried handing her one again but it too ended up on the floor.

Giving up he took the last spoon he'd brought and went back to his first method of making her eat. "Open you mouth, Sarah."

To his surprise, she listened and willingly took the bite. She continued to willingly eat what Chuck offered, but once the bowl was empty, she ordered him to leave the room.

Chuck took the tray and left the room, heading back downstairs. He sat on the couch, silently while listening to Sarah's ranting. Then suddenly she stopped and the house became eerily silent for the next thirty minutes.

Concerned, Chuck slowly and quietly as possibly, headed back up toward the bedroom, having removed his shoes to soften his steps. He was able to climb the steps without Sarah starting to yell again.

When he got the bedroom door, he saw that she was lying on the bed and appeared to be sleeping and hadn't been woken by his approach, which was a first since she always woke up long before he ever made it to the door.

Wanting to be she was okay, Chuck continued walking toward her. Upon reaching the bed, he sat down then gently touched her arm and whispered her name.

The sudden shift of the bed woke her and when Chuck's hand touched the bare skin of her arm, it sparked something in Sarah, all her anger melted away and tears burst from her eyes. Sarah latched onto Chuck, laying her face against his chest.

Momentarily shocked by Sarah's sudden mood change and her willingness to let him be near her, Chuck froze. Half a second later, Chuck wrapped his arms around her.

Still crying, Sarah kept repeating the same thing over and over. "Chuck, I'm blind. I'm blind. I'm never going to see again."

"I know. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here." Chuck kept whispering as he held her tight and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand.

Sarah kept crying and repeating that she was blind for a solid seven minutes before she was able to stop.

If Chuck felt any residual indignation toward Sarah, it all faded away the moment she broke down and started crying.

When she finally settled down, it was just before twelve in the afternoon and Chuck told her, he was going to go fix her something for lunch.

"No, Chuck! Don't leave me!" Sarah pleaded as she tightened her grip on him.

"The only thing you've eaten in the last three days is a little bit of cereal. I'll be back soon."

"Please, don't go. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"You can come with me."

"No, I can't. Carry me, please" tears were steaming down her face.

Chuck gave in, picking Sarah up. He then carried her downstairs. He tried to sit her down on the couch and at the kitchen table but both times she cried and refused to let go. He had to try and cook with her clinging to his arm. When he finished preparing lunch, she wouldn't eat unless he fed her.

Sarah had jumped all the way to the other extreme. She had gone from hating him and not wanting him around, to clinging to him and crying all the time. She would freak out if he was away from her even for a minute. He could never be out of her arm's reach. Sarah had stopped doing anything for herself. When she wanted to go somewhere, she made Chuck carry her. She wouldn't eat unless Chuck fed her.

Chuck knew that this wasn't a healthy place for Sarah to be either. It tore him apart at seeing what had become of the Sarah he once knew, the Sarah he had fallen in love with. She had regressed so far in her progress toward independence or at least semi-independence. He would let her get away with it today, but that was it. He wasn't going to keep doing everything for her. She needed to learn how to adjust to being blind.

The next morning, after helping her to get dressed when Sarah asked Chuck to take her downstairs his reply was a gentle "Sarah, you can do that for yourself."

Sarah was stunned that Chuck would deny her request and tears rolled down her cheeks. " Don't you love me anymore, Chuck?"

"Of course I do. That's why I don't want to seeing you being so dependent on others."

Tears still flowing down her cheeks, "So you're not going to help me anymore?"

"Of course I'll still help you. I'm always gonna be here for you. I'll help you when you need it, but I'm not going to keep doing things I know you can do for yourself and I know for a fact that you can get downstairs on your own."

Sarah collapsed to the floor and grabbed Chuck's leg, "Please Chuck."

"No Sarah. Not this time."

Chuck detached Sarah from his leg then turned and walked out of the room without looking back, knowing that if he did, he wouldn't be able to go.

From his position on the couch downstairs, Chuck was able to hear Sarah's crying in the bedroom. With every tear she shed, Chuck's heart broke a little more. He hated causing her pain but this was something that had to be done.

Two hours later, Sarah's tears finally subsided. Then a few minutes after that she slowly started making her way down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, Chuck was there waiting for her. He was hesitant about kissing her because he wasn't sure how she would respond, so instead he wrapped his arms around her in a warm and loving hug.

At breakfast, Sarah knocked her fork in the floor but instead of getting upset and leaving the table, she simply asked for another. Chuck wasn't sure what caused Sarah's more positive reaction to failure. Whether it was what had happened over the past week, or just time or maybe a combination of both, but he took it as a sign that things might be on their way to getting better.


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks after being greatly angered and disappointed by her lack of recovery, Sarah began to accept the permanence of her condition. She was blind and nothing could change that.

Sarah slowly started to regain some of her independence. She was able to get around the house with great ease, no longer needing to walk slowly, Sarah was now able to travel about the house at a normal pace. Mishaps at mealtimes had become quite rare.

She was also now doing more for herself than she had since coming home from the hospital. When she wanted a glass of water, she got it herself. At breakfast, Sarah was able to fix herself a bowl of cereal or even a piece of toast. Sarah could also do a few other little things, such as brushing her hair or teeth on her own.

She also helped Chuck out around the house. She helped Chuck with the dishes, rinsing them and putting them away. She helped set the table. She helped Chuck make the bed every morning. She assisted in folding the laundry, Chuck of course had to sort it, but Sarah felt good knowing she was helping.

She was no longer consumed with fear when Chuck talked on the phone with his sister, though she still didn't want him telling her anything about her and she still refused talk on the phone herself.

The thought of being around other people was still a bit discomforting, but she was willing to discuss the possibility of leaving the house and getting back out in the world again sometime in the near future. Sarah still had a long way to go, but she was improving.

A few mornings later, Chuck awoke to find Sarah still peacefully sleeping. Knowing she would wake soon he headed downstairs intending to make breakfast when something on the coffee table caught his eye.

There glistening in the sunlight, which shone through the window, was Sarah's ring. Untouched since it had been dropped there two weeks ago. Forgetting all else, Chuck picked up the ring and quickly headed back upstairs to the bedroom.

Upon reaching the bedroom door, Chuck saw that Sarah was now awake and sitting on the bed. Sitting next to Sarah, Chuck took her hand. "Sarah, a little over a month ago, you made all my dreams come true when you agreed to marry me. Make them come true again by taking my ring back and accept my proposal once again. You mean more to me than you could ever possibly know. I love you more and more with each passing day. Sarah, will you marry me?"

"I'm sorry, Chuck."

Devastated Chuck started to leave.

"No Chuck. Wait, you don't understand." Sarah said taking hold of his wrist.

"No. I understand plenty. You don't want to marry me."

"No Chuck. That's not it." Sarah pleaded. "What I mean is that I'm sorry I ever took the ring off in the first place. I'm sorry I threw it at you. I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said to you and the horrible way I treated you. I didn't mean it. I'm so completely in love with you and I definitely want to marry you. Now, I want that ring back on my finger where it belongs."

Smiling, Chuck slipped the ring back on Sarah's finger.

Sarah ran her fingers across the ring, the ring that told the world she was taken.

"Chuck?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Kiss me."

More than two weeks had gone by since their lips last touched and when they finally met, all the tension that had been building up, was released in one explosive kiss. Chuck lifted Sarah onto his lap, kissing her passionately while running his fingers through her soft blonde hair. Sarah had a fistful of the back of Chuck's shirt in one hand, while the other was busy playing with the curls in his hair.

Later that day, Chuck and Sarah were lying together on the soft carpeting that covered the living room floor listening to the soft music emanating from the radio. A new song began to play, Celine Dion's _"Because You Loved Me"_ which just happened to be the song that was playing when they shared their first real kiss.

Before Chuck could even blink, Sarah's lips were on his and they were kissing. The moment was cut short however, when Chuck's phone starting ringing.

"Sarah, that was Ellie. She wants us to come over for dinner tomorrow night. We talked about getting you out of the house. You think you could handle dinner with my sister?"

"I-- I'm not sure." Sarah replied, her voice, shaky.

"Sarah, it's Ellie and I'll be right there with you. You haven't left this house in over a month. You can't hide away forever."

"Okay, I'll go, if you promise to keep me close."

"I promise never to leave your side."

The next afternoon Chuck and Sarah started getting ready for dinner at Ellie's.

"Chuck, which of these is my purple dress?" Sarah asked, holding the fabric of two different dresses in her hands, "I can't tell if it's this one or this one."

Chuck walked over to the closet, where his blind fiancée was standing.

"Here. It's this one" Chuck said indicating the dress in her left hand as he took it out of the closet and put it in her hands.

"Thanks."

They continued getting ready, with Sarah requiring little assistance from Chuck.

"Chuck, what are you wearing?" Sarah enquired as she ran her hands along his chest and arms. From her touch she could tell that it was one of his long sleeved collared shirts. "What color is it?"

"Dark red and my pants are black slacks."

"Ooh, I bet you look so sexy."

"No one will even notice me. I'll be invisible because I'll be standing next to you. You look absolutely gorgeous" Chuck replied as he gently kissed her cheek.

Walking arm in arm with Chuck, Sarah took her first step out the front door.

"Sarah, we're coming to some stairs now."

It was then that Sarah suddenly stopped.

"Sarah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just..."

"What?"

"I've forgotten the feeling of a gentle breeze as it blows against my skin and through my hair. Can we just sit here for a moment?"

Chuck and Sarah sat together on the top stair, hand in hand, their fingers intertwined. "Chuck, tell me what you see."

At this moment, sitting on the porch with Chuck, Sarah was the happiest she had been since the incident that left her blind a month ago.

"It seems we've come out at the perfect time. Right on time for the sunset. Just above the horizon the sky is really pink. Sweeping upward, a little higher the sky is a gentle orange. There are five small fluffy clouds in the sky, a shade of orange darker than the color in the sky."

"It sounds beautiful."

Chuck tenderly placed his fingertips on Sarah's chin and turned her to face him, "It is, but I'd rather look at you. It pales in comparison. Nothing in this world could ever compare to how beautiful you are to me."

A tear rolled down Sarah's cheek, which Chuck gently kissed away, "How did I ever manage to win a place in the heart of someone as amazing as you?"

"It's I who's lucky to have you. You're the most incredible woman I've ever known. I love you."

Chuck then gave her a soft, sweet kiss on the lips. A kiss which soon became more heated and before they knew it, they were late meeting Ellie.

Upon entering the apartment, Sarah heard an all too familiar grunt, followed by "You're late Bartowski!"

Sarah, who had her arm linked with Chuck's stepped closer to him and wrapped her other arm tightly around his. "Chuck, Casey's here," she whispered in his ear, her hands trembling. "I didn't know he was gonna be here."

Chuck whispered back, "It's gonna be okay. I'm right here."

"Sarah, you look beautiful!" Ellie exclaimed upon seeing her.

"See. I told you, no one would notice me." Chuck whispered into Sarah's ear.

As Chuck was helping Sarah fix her plate, Casey came up to them. "Forget how to make food for yourself. You need Bartowski to do it for you now?"

Casey hadn't expected Sarah's reaction, instead of snapping back at him, she turned and disappeared through a door into another room, crying. "What's with her?"

Only Chuck noticed the bit of difficulty she had navigating her way through a place she hadn't been in a while. She found the wall a couple times. She also had tried to find Chuck's old room but ended up in the bathroom instead.

Casey also hadn't expected Chuck's reaction. He became angrier than he'd ever seen him before. If Casey didn't know he could take Chuck, he would have been a little afraid. Actually, he was a bit wary of Chuck right now. When Chuck began to speak, his tone was also harsher than Casey had ever heard from him.

"Sarah's blind, Casey!"

"You're kidding right?"asked a disbelieving Casey.

Chuck stared Casey down with such fire radiating from his eyes.

"You're serious? Walker's really blind?"

Ellie who had entered the room, during Chuck's revelation about Sarah, dropped the cake she was carrying, sending it splattering on the floor. She was completely shocked over what she'd just heard and wondered whether she could believe her own ears.

"Did you say Sarah's blind!?"

Still angry, Chuck replied, "Yes! I did! As soon as Sarah starts accept it and I'm finally able to get her out of the house and around other people again, Mr. Charm over here has to go and open his big mouth and make her cry again! Now, if you'll excuse me, my fiancée just ran into the bathroom, crying. I have to go see if she's okay."

Running off toward Sarah, Chuck left a stunned Ellie and a totally speechless and remorseful Casey behind.

"I can't believe Sarah's blind! What she and Chuck must've gone through."

"I regret what I said. I didn't mean to hurt her" Casey muttered to no one in particular.

"Sarah. Blind. It's such a-- wait a minute! Fiancée!? Did he just say what I think he did!?"

Opening the bathroom door, Chuck discovered she was laying curled up on the floor crying.

"Sarah, sweetie. Are you okay?" Chuck asked as he knelt on the floor in front of her.

Sarah, still crying crawled to Chuck and fell into him. Chuck held her, brushed her tears away, kissed her forehead and whispered words of comfort into her ear, but there was no consoling her. With no possible means of consoling her, she was just to have to cry it out and that was gonna take some time.

The first time she got up the courage to get back out in the world, and that which she feared had happened. Someone had brought up the issue of her independence, making her feel helpless. Casey had torn away at the delicate fibers that were holding her together causing her to fall apart.

Several minutes later, Ellie lightly knocked on the door, "Are you two okay in there?"

"Ellie, we need a few more minutes, please."

"Okay, sorry. Take all the time you need."

Ten minutes later, the tears finally subsided. "You okay now?"

Sarah nodded her head. Chuck then gave her forehead one last kiss before helping her to her feet.

"Come here, sweetheart." Chuck said turning the water on in the sink and dampening a cloth. Taking the dampened cloth he gently washed Sarah's tears away.

"You ready to go back out there now?"

Sarah nodded her head again.

Chuck took Sarah's hand and led her back into the kitchen, where Ellie and Casey were waiting. He pulled out a chair for her and put the plate he'd made for her earlier on the table in front of her.

Casey and Ellie watched in amazement as Chuck described for Sarah, which foods were where on her plate. It seemed so natural for them. They continued watching as she ate.

"Why aren't you two eating?" Sarah asked, addressing Casey and Ellie.

Both Ellie and Casey were stunned by Sarah's question, but it was only Ellie who said anything. "How did you know that!?"

"Well, your silverware wasn't making any contact with your plate. It was too quiet over there."

There was still silence on the part of Ellie and Casey as Sarah continued eating her dinner.

"Please stop staring. You're making me uncomfortable. Yes, I am blind, but that doesn't mean I'm totally helpless. Chuck has been helping me learn to do things for myself."

"Earlier, when I-- I wasn't trying to hurt you." Casey said as he struggled to apologize.

After dinner, Chuck slowly escorted Sarah to the living room, following Ellie and Casey. Once Chuck helped Sarah sit on the couch, Ellie asked a question she'd been dying to know the answer to ever since Chuck had gone to console Sarah.

"Earlier, I thought I heard Chuck use the word fiancée. Are you two engaged?"

Smiling Chuck took Sarah's hand. "Yes," they answered in unison.

Sarah then held out her hand for Ellie to see.

"Sarah, that's so beautiful! It's one of the most gorgeous rings I've ever seen! How long have you two been engaged?"

"A little over a month now" Chuck answered.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Well we were going to tell you that weekend, but then Sarah ended up in the hospital and since then we've been dealing with what happened that night."

"I'm so sorry. That must've been really hard," Ellie replied sympathetically. "So when's the big day?"

"We haven't had the time to set a date yet. We haven't even started planning anything."

"What about December? That's about five months from now."

"What do you think about December for our wedding, sweetheart?"

"December 11. I like that," Sarah answered smiling.

"If that's what you want, that's what you'll get." Chuck said he gave Sarah a small kiss on the cheek.

"I could help you guys plan it?"

"That would be nice. Thanks Ellie. " Sarah replied.

The three of them sat there discussing the wedding, while Casey sat silently on the other side of the room.

An hour later Chuck changed the subject. "It's getting late. Sarah and I need to be getting home. Thanks for dinner it was great."

"I'm glad you could come. I've missed you guys," Ellie said hugging both Chuck and Sarah as they left.

Upon arriving back at the house, Chuck and Sarah were both exhausted and looking forward to a goodnight's sleep. Entering the darkened house, Chuck reached for the light switch.

"Don't bother. I know the way."

Chuck was impressed with how Sarah always seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Though he was quite nervous when she started to lead him forward.

"Um. Sarah. It's too dark. I can't really see where I'm going."

"Neither can I, but I don't let that stop me. I go through this house every day without seeing where I'm going. If you stick with me, you'll be fine."

Sarah led Chuck through the darkness talking him through the steps they were taking. "Okay we're coming up on the stairs. There's seventeen of them." Sarah counted aloud as they climbed. It felt good that for once she was guiding someone else, rather than the other way around.

"Okay, turn left." Chuck and Sarah were now closing in on the bedroom. "Okay we're at the bedroom door now. Turn right."

Walking through the door, Chuck turned on the light. "That was kinda scary. I kept thinking I was going to run into something. And you do that every day? How do you do it? You're even more amazing than I knew. In fact, I think I love you even more now."

Within a few minutes Chuck and Sarah were ready for bed. Cutting off the light, Chuck joined Sarah in the bed. He gave her a kiss goodnight kiss then whispered 'I love you' into her ear and soon they were both fast asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chuck was starting to see hints of the old Sarah breaking through. He had an idea that he hoped would bring out more of the Sarah he once knew. He just needed to make a call.

"Casey, you don't happen to have a dartboard, do you? Never mind why. Just have it ready. We'll be there in about two hours."

"Chuck, what are we doing here?" Sarah asked once they reached the courtyard outside Casey's apartment.

"You'll find out soon."

"Chuck! Sarah! I was just on my way to see you." Ellie said exiting her apartment. "Sarah, I got this for you." In her hands, Ellie held a white cane used by the blind. "I hope it'll help you get around on your own better."

"It's really sweet of you to do this for me. Thanks Ellie."

Chuck and Sarah said goodbye to Ellie and continued on their way to Casey's apartment. Sarah carried her cane, but she didn't use it. She was too self-conscious to try it out with people watching.

"Is it ready?" Chuck asked after Casey answered the door.

Sarah had no idea what was going on. "Is what ready?"

"Yeah, but I still don't know what you want it for."

"What are you two talking about?" asked a still perplexed Sarah.

"You'll find out in a minute. Come on" Chuck answered.

"It's over there" Casey said pointing to the dartboard.

Chuck led Sarah to the wall opposite the board. "Okay, there's a dartboard on the wall you're facing"

Chuck continued describing the position of the board then put a dart in her hand.

"Chuck. I'm blind. I can't do this."

"Listen Sarah. You had perfect aim when you threw that ring at me. If you can do that then you can hit the bulls-eye. All you have to do is concentrate."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. Blind or not, you're still Sarah. A lot of the things you could do before, you still can. You need to believe that and I'm going to prove it to you."

"Are you sure about this, Bartowski?"

"Absolutely."

"Now give it a try, Sarah." Chuck said turning back to his fiancée.

After much hesitating, Sarah released the dart from her hand and let it fly though the air toward the wall. It made contact and stuck about an inch away from the edge of the board. Chuck convinced her to give it another try. This time it hit closer to the center.

Then Chuck had an idea. He walked across the room and over to the board. Tapping the center he said "Put it right here, Sarah."

Sarah concentrated on where the sound had come from and sent the last dart sailing toward it. Perfect! The dart had landed right in the bulls-eye.

"You did it!" an excited Chuck shouted.

Casey, who had been watching from the background was stunned by what he had just witnessed. "Wow, Walker. That's really impressive."

Sarah was still unsure of herself. "I don't believe you."

Since Sarah was afraid to use her cane in front of others, Chuck took her hand and guided her to where the dartboard was hanging.

With her hands held gently in his he showed her where the darts had landed. "Here's where the first one landed. The second here. And...right here's where you hit the bulls-eye."

A bright smile crossed Sarah's face, "I want to try it again!"

Sarah took the three darts and tried again. This time all three hit their mark. The smile on her face grew with each successful throw.

After that Chuck and Casey took Sarah out to some unknown location to practice her shooting skills. Though she probably wouldn't ever actually use those skills ever again, Chuck knew that knowing she still could, would really help Sarah. With a little sound to indicate where the target was, Sarah was able to fire successfully every time with no problem.

After completing her little "mission," Sarah handed the gun back to Casey.

"Thank you for doing this for me. Thanks for everything you've done up to this point to help me work through this. Without you I never would have made it this far," Sarah said as she took Chuck's hands

Turning her head so that she was facing in Casey's direction, "I want to thank you too, Casey. I really appreciate you helping Chuck do this for me."

She then turned back to Chuck and wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing him.

"Geez, you two, can't you wait until I'm not around to do that?" Casey replied, pretending he was disgusted, but secretly he was happy. Seeing Walker like this and knowing that he was in part responsible for it made him feel like he had made up for what he inadvertently did to her the other night, when he caused her breakdown.

Chuck had uncovered a little more of the former Sarah. She was beginning to see that maybe Chuck was right and that maybe things hadn't changed that much, that she was basically the same person as before.

The next morning Chuck awoke to find that Sarah wasn't next to him. Thinking she had just gone downstairs or something, he went down to look. She wasn't there. He searched the entire house. There was no sign of Sarah anywhere.

Chuck was starting panic now. He grabbed his keys and ran out the door to go in search of her. Once on the porch, Chuck breathed a sigh of relief. There was Sarah sitting in the front yard, leaning against the back of a tree.

"Sarah! I was so worried. I've been looking all over for you. How did you get out here?"

Sarah indicated the long white object in her hands. "You know, this is the first time I've ever come out here without you holding my hand. I was a little scared but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and I guess I did. I also took the opportunity to try using my cane for the first time without anyone watching."

"Well, from the looks of things, it seems you did quite well." Chuck said as he sat next to her and kissed her forehead.

Chuck had sat with Sarah under the tree for a few minutes when Sarah suddenly started speaking again. "Can we maybe go out tonight, maybe to dinner?"

Chuck was surprised by Sarah's request. He had to really work to just to convince her to visit Ellie and Casey.

"I want to try and get over my fear of being in public just because I'm blind. I want to really work on things getting back to normal."

"Of course. We'll go anywhere you want."

That night as Sarah entered the restaurant, having one arm linked with Chuck's and the other manipulating her cane, she knew people were staring at her. She heard the sudden slowing of footsteps as people approached. She heard their changes in breathing. She tried to ignore it, but when the whispers started that became impossible.

"You guys see the blind woman that just sat down at that table?"

"I'll bet he's having to do everything for her."

"Look. He has to read the menu to her."

"Why would he want to be with someone like that?"

"I'd never want anyone like that."

"There's no way he really loves her."

All the cruel whisperings going on at the next table was getting to her. People were treating her so differently now that she was blind. The old Sarah was fighting with the current and still fragile Sarah. The old Sarah wanted to shut out what they were saying, to hurt them. The fragile Sarah wanted to cry. The two Sarahs reached a sort of a compromise. She couldn't quite shut them out, but she only shed a single tear.

When the laughter started, Chuck turned to see a group of teenagers at the next table, whispering and looking in their direction.

Unlike Sarah, he wasn't able to hear everything they were saying, but he was able to pick up enough to get the gist. Chuck took Sarah's hand and gently kissed it, Sarah's ring casting a light in their direction. A gasp could be heard coming from the next table and when Chuck finally worked up the courage to give Sarah a sweet and passionate kiss on the lips, all the looks and whispers stopped.

Until their food came, Chuck sat really close to Sarah with his arms wrapped around her shoulders, while Sarah laid her head against him and held onto his free hand.

After what happened at dinner, Chuck knew he still had a lot more work to do in order put Sarah back together. She had been improving a little each day but she wasn't quite there yet.

Three months before the wedding, Ellie showed up on the doorstep telling Sarah it was time she went to look for a dress. Searching through the store, Sarah took the time to carefully examine each dress. She gently stroked her hands slowly across the entirety of the dress to tell her brain what it looked like. At the same time Ellie would describe it for her.

While Sarah was examining one of the dresses with her fingers, a saleslady approached. "What do you think you're doing!? Stop putting your hands on all the dresses!"

"I'm not hurting them." Sarah said trying not to get angry.

It was then that Ellie stepped in, "She's just looking for a dress for her wedding."

The rude saleslady snapped at Ellie, "Who do you think you are and what are you doing here!?"

"The maid of honor and her future sister-in-law. I'm helping her pick out a dress."

Sarah found her hand clenching into a tight fist, as she fought to restrain herself from acting on her desire to punch this lady right in the mouth. She was sure she wouldn't have any problem locating it. This lady sure kept running it enough.

"Well tell her not to put her hands all over every dress."

Ellie was really staring to hate this lady now too.

"Why? Like she said she's not hurting them and for your information ma'am the bride's blind!" she fired back angrily.

The manager had heard this exchange and intervened. Sending away the soon to be fired saleslady, the manager apologized for her rude behavior and offered them a 10 discount on anything in the store.

Together Sarah and Ellie found several possible choices. Sarah tried on each dress then came out to show Ellie and get her opinion. It was going to be a difficult decision to make. Sarah looked so beautiful in everything.

She had one final dress to try, except this time when Sarah came out, Ellie didn't respond. "Ellie?" Sarah called as she walked further out into the store, her cane clacking on the hard floor.

Ellie, who was rendered temporarily speechless finally responded. "Wow!! Sarah, you look incredible! This is definitely the dress for you!"

Hearing Ellie's excitement, others in the store came to see what all the fuss was about. When they saw Sarah standing there in her wedding gown, they too were rendered speechless, amazed by how beautiful she was.

They of course got that dress. Sarah was too beautiful in it not to and as they were leaving the store the manager apologized again for their experience with the saleslady.

Over the next three months, Chuck, Sarah and Ellie planned out all the little details for the wedding, the church, the flowers, the theme, the cake the guests and everything else. It was going to be a beautiful ceremony.

One week before the wedding, Chuck and Sarah were standing out on the front porch, talking and enjoying the day, when Bryce showed up. He climbed the stairs of the porch but stopped several feet away. When he began to speak, Sarah, who had her back to him, froze. She wondered what possible reason he could have for showing up here, at her house.

"Sarah, babe. What don't you leave Chuck and come back to me?"

"What the hell is your problem, Bryce!? You show up a week before my wedding, and tell me to leave my fiancé and even worse you do it while he's standing right there!" Sarah yelled holding her arm out toward Chuck, her back still to Bryce.

"So? I'm a thousand times better than Chuck! He's not nearly as cool or interesting as I am and your life will be much more exciting with me than it could ever be with him."

Now, Sarah was really angry and turned to face him, white cane in hand. Maneuvering her cane, she angrily stormed toward him.

"Whoa!" Bryce said backing up. "You're blind!? Never mind. Chuck can keep you. I'm not interested in taking care of any stupid blind woman!"

Seconds later Chuck had punched Bryce square in the mouth. Bryce was wide-eyed with shock when he realized his lip was bleeding. "Don't you ever talk about my fiancée like that again!"

Chuck was getting ready to hit Bryce again, when Sarah stopped him. "No Chuck. Don't."

"But he insulted you!"

"I know he did, but I don't you to hit him again."

Sarah turned face Bryce again, "I want to take care of him myself."

Bryce laughed, "You? You're blind. What could you possibly do?"

Without a word, Sarah took her cane and forcibly jammed it into his foot. When Bryce bent over in pain, Sarah hit him with her cane again, swinging it in the direction of his arm, making a powerful connection.

"Here Chuck. Hold this" Sarah said handing him her cane.

Bryce took a swing at Sarah, but she was too quick for him and punched him in the face, causing more of his blood to spill. He was also going to have quite a black eye in a minute.

Sarah continued punching and kicking him and as hard as Bryce tried he was never able to lay a hand on her. She always knew what was coming and was able to counter attack him. With one final punch to the face, Bryce fell to the porch, landing on his back.

Sarah held out her hand toward Chuck, indicating he should return her cane now. She then jammed it into Bryce's chest, who was still withering on the porch in pain.

Digging the cane further into his chest, Sarah crouched down to where she knew Bryce's ear to be and in a low threatening voice said, "If you _ever_ come near me, Chuck or anyone else I care about _ever_ again, you won't be able to walk away. Don't even _think_ about testing me on this. I'll hear you coming long before you'll be able to see me and you won't have any idea what hit you. Now go, before I just decide to kill you right now."

Getting up, Bryce limped off in complete anguish, never to return. Not only was he in such extreme pain, he was also humiliated by the fact that he had just gotten his butt severely kicked by a blind woman.

After witnessing the fight, Chuck knew he had gotten his Sarah back. She no longer broke down at the smallest little problem or comment. She had proven to herself that she could do almost anything she wanted. She was the same old Sarah as before, except for the fact that she was now blind. Of course, that didn't mean that she wasn't going have any more difficulties. There were still going to be problems and situations to deal with that would be hard for her.


	8. Chapter 8

The day before the wedding had arrived. Early that morning, Ellie and Devon had come over and took Chuck and Sarah away from each other, despite their strong protests. Devon took off with Chuck, while Ellie took Sarah away with her.

Devon had tried to take Chuck bungee jumping, sky diving and bull fighting, but Chuck backed down from each challenge. "Devon, I don't want to die the day before my wedding. Can't we do something not so.. deadly?"

Chuck finally reluctantly agreed to give rock climbing a try, but only on the condition that it be indoors with all ropes, harnesses and safety precautions. Chuck was surprised to discover that after his initial anxiety, he actually started to relax and enjoy it. He even challenged Devon to race, of course he lost, but he still had fun nonetheless.

Ellie, took Sarah out for a day at the spa. First, they spent a few minutes relaxing in a sauna. They talked about Chuck, the wedding and other random things. After their time in the sauna Sarah and Ellie headed on to get massages and then facials. Finally, they got their nails done for the wedding tomorrow.

That night back at Chuck's old apartment, Chuck asked Devon for a little help. He asked him to teach him the Waltz. A dance which he discovered Devon also knew. Chuck also made sure that Devon taught him the guy's part this time. He didn't want to be embarrassed when it came time to dance with Sarah at their wedding.

That night instead of returning to Chuck and Sarah's place, Sarah and Ellie instead headed over to the church. Sarah wanted to practice walking down the aisle in her wedding dress. She made several trips down the aisle carefully calculating every step.

After several successful attempts of making it down the aisle with her cane she tried without it, but she failed. She tried again and again but every time she would either trip or misjudge a step and fall. Sarah refused to give up. On her wedding day, she was going to walk down the aisle, carrying her bouquet not her cane. She wanted people to see her as a bride, not as some poor helpless blind woman. Ellie admired Sarah's determination, but it crushed her each time she failed.

After four more unsuccessful attempts, Sarah broke down and started crying. Ellie didn't know what to do. Chuck was the only one who could quiet her tears, but she couldn't call him, this was supposed to be a surprise.

Ellie helped Sarah up and walked with her and together they sat down in one of the pews. "Why can't I do it Ellie? Why can't I get it right? I want my wedding to be perfect. I don't want to have to use my cane."

Sarah was crying louder now, "Why do I have to be blind!? I'm getting married tomorrow!"

Ellie didn't know how to respond. Chuck would know exactly what to say. Chuck! "Sarah, you're able to get around your house without your cane right?"

"Yeah," Sarah tearfully responded.

"How did you learn to do that?"

"Chuck took me on a tour of the house every day, describing everything until I could picture it in my head and memorize it."

"That's it! Come on, Sarah!"

"What's it?"

"I'm going to do the same thing as Chuck did and take you on a detailed tour of this room and help you memorize it."

December 11, 2010. One P.M. Just one hour before the ceremony. Both the bride a groom were quite nervous, but excited as well.

Chuck, in his tux was pacing back and forth through his dressing room. He was too nervous to sit and too excited to be still.

In her dressing room, Sarah was still getting ready. "Ellie, can you help me with my makeup?" Sarah said as she used her cane to try and locate a chair.

Ellie guided her to a chair and began to do Sarah's makeup.

Back in the groom's dressing room, Chuck was rehearsing his wedding vows. He and Sarah had decided to write their own._ "Sarah, I love you more than words could ever express..."_

Things may have been going well in the groom's room but that wasn't the case in the bride's. "Sarah. It's okay. It's all right." Ellie was saying as she picked up the chair that had been accidently knocked over by Sarah.

"No, it's not! I'm gonna mess up out there and my wedding's going to be a disaster!"

"Sarah, your wedding is going to be beautiful. Nothing bad is going to happen. We practiced, remember? You're gonna do great."

The pressure of the day was making Sarah nervous and causing all of Chuck's hard work over the last six months to fall apart. She had also been separated from Chuck for too long. She missed hearing his voice and the feeling of being in his arms. Until yesterday Sarah hadn't been around other people when Chuck wasn't there and now shortly before her wedding it was getting to her.

"I don't like this room. I don't know it and it's too small," Sarah cried in frustration.

Sarah had even begun to doubt Chuck's love for her. "Why does Chuck even want me anymore, now that I'm blind?"

"My brother is crazy about you, Sarah. I've never seen him happier than when he's with you, his eyes light up every time you enter the room. He smiles at the mere mention of your name. He practically melts when you speak. Being blind doesn't change who you are and it certainly doesn't affect Chuck's feelings for you. Chuck is head over heels in love with you and nothing could ever change that."

Chuck was anxiously awaiting for the ceremony to begin. He couldn't believe this day had finally come. He never thought it would ever come to pass but in less than thirty minutes he was going to be marrying the most incredible woman in the world.

Sarah could've had anyone in the world, but she had chosen him. Him. Chuck Bartowski. She was a brilliant spy and he was just a computer nerd and yet her heart had picked him. She had fallen so completely in love with him.

Chuck's heart was pounding so much, he thought it would explode from his chest at any moment. Why was time going so slow!? Didn't the universe know how much he wanted to be joined forever with Sarah!? Why must the clock taunt him!? Why couldn't the wedding be at 1:38 P.M. instead of 2:00 P.M.? He could be watching his beautiful bride walk down the aisle right now, not sitting alone listening to the seconds of the clock slowly tick by.

By now, Sarah was feeling much better. Ellie had a message on her phone from her brother, which she let Sarah listen to, hearing Chuck's voice instantly soothing her. She knew Chuck loved her. He always had and he always would. She'd never felt more loved than when she was with him. He would never leave her, never abandon her, never hurt her. Most assuredly, Chuck would never stop loving her and she could never stop loving him.

It wasn't until she met Chuck that she knew what love truly was. Just being near him set her heart to racing. When he held her, she melted into his arms and when they kissed an explosion of heat and desire surged throughout her entire body. Once she started kissing him, she never wanted to stop.

Like Chuck, she too was now anxiously awaiting her moment to walk down the aisle and marry the one she loved. She couldn't wait until the moment she officially belonged to him and he belonged to her. Every few minutes she kept asking Ellie for the time. Time couldn't have been moving any slower for her than if stopped or started going backwards.

Sarah, took a deep breath, she could do this. She had practiced it. The music had begun to play, marking her time to shine. With her bouquet in her hands, she set her cane down just outside the door. Sarah then began her walk down the aisle.

When Chuck saw Sarah, she took his breath away. He had never seen her look more beautiful than she did at this moment. Her gown was strapless with beautiful detailed beadwork and a full skirt. Her beautiful blonde hair was loosely curled and in an elegant up-do with a small strand framing the right side of her face.

It wasn't until she had made it halfway down the aisle that he was able snap out of his daze. It was then that he finally noticed that she wasn't using her cane. She was doing it on her own. His smile grew wider. Sarah's strength and determination and the way she refused to let anything hold her back or keep her down being just a few of the qualities he admired about her.

Sarah walked slowly and carefully concentrating on her every step. Thirty-three. Thirty-four. Thirty-five. She could do this. She was almost there. Just a few more steps. When she reached the end of the aisle, Chuck gently took her hands.

"Dearly beloved we gathered here today to join this man and this woman in hold matrimony..."

Both the bride and groom were beaming, so happy to have finally made it to this moment.

Then the time came for Chuck to recite his vows. "Sarah, I love you more than words could ever express. The moment I first saw you, I knew you were the one. I love everything about you. I love your heart. I love your fighting spirit, your strength, your compassion, I love the way you make me feel when we're together. So, today I give you my heart and all my love forever. I promise to be there for you always and that we will stand together for all time."

Chuck then slipped the wedding band on Sarah's finger just above her engagement ring.

It was now Sarah's turn to recite her vows for Chuck. "Chuck, you're the most incredible person I've ever known. Until I met you, I never knew such kindness existed. You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. I love that about you. You made me see how amazing and beautiful love could be. You made me believe in myself in a way I never had before. I give you my solemn vow that my love for you will never fade. I give myself to you forever."

Sarah then slid the wedding ring into Chuck's finger, a smile on her face and a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Neither moved for a moment, too stunned by the fact that they were finally married. It had been a long and arduous journey to get to this point. When Chuck saw Sarah's lips moving toward his, he closed the distance between them.

Never before had anyone ever witnessed a kiss as beautiful as the kiss they were now seeing. A kiss so gentle, so sweet. A kiss of perfect love.

"I present to you for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Bartowski."

Though she was blind, Sarah couldn't have felt luckier as she danced in her husband's arms for the first time. She had found her soul mate. She was Mrs. Chuck Bartowski. She may not have been able to see her husband's face but she could definitely feel all the love he had for her.

That night in their honeymoon suite, Chuck waited on the bed, while Sarah along with her cane disappeared into the bathroom. When she reemerged, she was wearing a sexy black negligee and Chuck couldn't help but stare at his bride. She always looked incredible, but right now... WOW!

Sarah slowly started making her way toward the bed, using her cane to cross the room. After only about two seconds, Chuck couldn't wait any longer. Getting up from the bed Chuck walked over to Sarah and quickly scooped her up in his arms, causing her cane to clatter as it hit the floor, where it would lay abandoned for the rest of the night. Chuck then carried his bride over to the bed where she cuddled against him.

Laying in Chuck's arms and wanting proof that they were truly married, Sarah took her husband's hand feeling the ring on his finger, she then did the same with the ring on her own finger.

"Chuck. This ring... it's in Braille," Sarah said with surprise in her voice, as she felt along the outer surface of the ring. "It says 'I love you, Sarah' on the band" a few tears rolled down her cheek.

Moments like these made Sarah glad that Chuck had convinced her to learn to read Braille. He even learned with her, saying that if that was the language his soon to be wife would be reading, he wanted to be able to read it too.

Chuck took Sarah's hand and kissed it right at the spot where her ring was, "I know. I wanted your ring to be special. I wanted you to know just much you mean to me."

"Chuck. You're so wonderful. You've always been so good to me, always made me feel truly special. No wonder I fell in love with you."

Sarah slowly ran her hands up Chuck's chest and on up to his face. Finding his lips, she took possession of them. Chuck opened his mouth to allow her tongue passage. The kiss grew more passionate by the second and soon the rest of the world faded away, until nothing else existed, except for the two of them together.


	9. Chapter 9

"Isaiah," came Sarah's voice from another room. "You know the rules. No cookies before dinner."

Chuck, who was standing next to Sarah, looked around the corner into the kitchen. His son was a good five feet from the cookie jar. Chuck then turned back to Sarah, "How do you do that?"

"Chuck. I've been blind for seven years. I use sound to tell me what I can't see. I can hear things that you can't. Everything has a unique sound and after seven years, I've gotten really good at distinguishing between even the slightest difference in sounds."

"I get that, but he was at least five feet from the cookie jar. How did you know that's what he was doing?"

"Well, I'm also a mother."

Sarah lifted up on her toes and when she whispered into his ear her lips were almost touching, sending shivers down his spine. "I was also one of the world's top spies once."

"Nothing goes on in this house that I don't know about" Sarah said planting her feet on the floor again.

"Nothing?"

"Nope. Nothing. Like, the fact that I know you're holding a rose right now," Sarah answered with a sly smile.

"How...?"

"The way you said 'nothing', I knew you were hiding something, but mostly because I can smell it."

"You continue to amaze me every day." Chuck said, kissing her.

Just then there was a tug on the hem of her dress, "Isabel," Sarah said removing her lips from Chuck's.

She then crouched down closer to the little girl and kissed her cheek. "What is it?"

"Mommy, fix my hair, please?"

"Of course baby." Sarah sat on her knees. "Do you have your brush and your ribbon?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, give them to me."

Isabel handed over the items.

Sarah brushed her daughter's hair then tied Isabel's favorite ribbon in it. A perfect little bow.

"There you go, baby," Sarah said, kissing her daughter's cheek again.

"Why didn't you ask Daddy to fix your hair?" Chuck questioned his daughter.

"'Cause, Mommy do it better" Isabel said matter-of-factly before skipping off to find her brother.

Isaiah and Isabel had both recently turned four. They were twins, fraternal of course, but they were as close as any set of identical twins, most of the time anyway. They always looked out for one another, stood up for each other and never let anyone hurt the other. They were each other's best friend. Of course there was the occasional argument here and there, but they got along quite well most of the time.

Isaiah had brown hair like his daddy, except his hair was straight. Isabel had beautiful blonde curls. Both had their mother's striking blue eyes and their father's smile. They also had their father's sweet disposition, but if you messed with them, well, you better watch out.

They were the pride and joy of Chuck and Sarah. Two children couldn't ever possibly be loved as much as Isaiah and Isabel and in turn, no two children could ever possibly love their parents more.

After fixing her daughter's hair, Sarah along with Chuck, went upstairs to their bedroom and then headed on into the master bathroom.

Sarah sat on the edge of the tub, so that Chuck could apply her makeup. Over time, with practice and help from Ellie, he had actually gotten quite good at doing makeup.

Sarah then walked over to her dresser where she kept her jewelry box. She used her fingers to search through all of her necklaces, trying to find the one she wanted to wear with her simple, but elegant black dress.

Once she located her string of lavender pearls, she took it to Chuck. Turning her back to him, Sarah lifted her blonde hair off her neck, so that Chuck could clasp the necklace around it.

Sarah then left Chuck in the bedroom to continue getting ready, while she went to find out if the children were dressed. After Sarah tied Isaiah's shoes for him, everyone was ready to go. Almost.

Sarah needed one more thing before leaving the house. She went back into the bedroom to get it, but it wasn't there. She felt again. She felt all around in the surrounding area. She got on her knees and felt on the floor, it just wasn't there.

Getting back on her feet, Sarah turned to her husband, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, "Honey, have you seen my cane?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I moved it the other day when I was cleaning and I guess I forgot to put it back. I'll get it for you."

Chuck felt bad. His wife was blind. It was extremely important to always keep things in the same place so she could find them. He'd always been really good about putting things back in exactly the same spot. How could he have forgotten to return to its rightful spot, something that was so crucial to his wife!? Without her cane, Sarah couldn't even step out the front door.

Within just a few moments, Chuck had returned to Sarah with her cane.

"Here, you go. I'm really, really sorry," he said as he handed it to her.

"Thanks, honey," Sarah said, kissing his cheek.

Okay, so she wasn't upset. Chuck felt better. In fact, he even felt like teasing her a bit. "Where are you going by the way?"

"Chuck!" Sarah yelled feigning anger, while playfully hitting him in the head with a pillow.

"Okay. I'm kidding. Of course we're taking you out for your annual Mother's Day dinner."

"You know, I might just leave you here and only take the twins."

Suddenly, Sarah was falling backwards. Chuck, who was sitting on the edge of the bed again, had taken her arm and pulled her into his lap, causing her to giggle. "Okay, you can come too."

Cradling his wife in his arms, Chuck moved his lips closer to hers.

When his lips were a mere two inches from hers, Sarah chose that moment to interrupt, "when are you going to give me my rose?"

Three years ago, a new and exclusive restaurant had opened, one that closed down to the general public for Mother's Day and was reserved only for mothers and their families. In the center of the room they had a dance floor, well actually they just moved tables out of the middle of the room to create the "dance floor" and on Mother's Day they held a special dance for each mother and son, mother and daughter and husband and wife. The event was quite a popular one and you had to reserve your spot months in advance.

Every year since it's opening, Chuck had made sure to get a reservation. It had become a family tradition that Sarah loved and looked forward to every Mother's Day.

As they were preparing to go out the door, Isaiah and Isabel both wanted to be the one who got to hold their mother's hand as they walked out to the car.

"I wanna hold Mommy's hand," Isaiah excitedly cried out.

"I want Mommy to hold my hand," Isabel pouted.

"Isaiah, requested first. You'll have to take turns. Isabel, you can hold my hand on the way into the restaurant. Okay, baby?"

Isabel agreed, but was a little sad. Chuck picked up Isabel and put her on his shoulders, instantly putting a smile on his little girl's face. She loved riding on Daddy's shoulders. It was so much fun being up high like that.

Sarah took Isaiah's hand in her free hand and together they headed out the front door with Chuck and Isabel following not far behind.

Arriving at the restaurant, Sarah was now holding Isabel's hand and Chuck was now carrying Isaiah on his shoulders. They were taken to their table, where both children wanted to sit beside Mommy, because as they told their Daddy it was Mother's Day. This time Sarah had no problem giving her son and daughter both what they wanted.

At the roundly shaped table, Isabel sat in a booster seat on Sarah's left and Isaiah sat in a booster seat to the right of Sarah, while Chuck sat at the table across from his wife.

Once they were settled, it was then that Chuck finally gave Sarah her rose. Explaining to her how it was pink and that he'd gotten that color because people always got red and she was too special to get the same thing everyone else was getting.

Isaiah then put a little note on the table in front of his mommy. Sarah, ran her fingers along the raised dots on the paper in front of her, reading. _You the bestest Mommy in the whole wide world. I love you, Mommy. _

Below the note there was additional writing. _May 14, 2017 Mother's Day Isaiah age 4_

"Thank you, sweetie. I love it and I love you too," Sarah said as she kissed her son's cheek.

"I telled Daddy what to write and he writted it for me."

"Well then, thank you, Daddy," Sarah said smiling and reaching her hand across the table to take Chuck's hand.

"Read mine now, Mommy!"

Sarah again ran her fingers across the Braille lettering on the paper in front of her._ You the greatest Mommy ever. I love you forever and ever._

Again below Isabel's message was the addition added by Chuck, so she could remember when she got the notes. _May 14, 2017 Mother's Day Isabel age 4_

"Oh thank you, baby. It's really sweet. Mommy loves you too," Sarah said as she kissed her daughter's cheek just as she had with her son moments before.

There was one final note Sarah had to read, the one from her beloved husband. For the third time Sarah ran her fingers across the Braille print to read what Chuck had written for her. _My darling Sarah, every morning when I wake with you lying next to me, I thank God that I am married to you. You have given me the greatest gifts I could ever ask for, your heart and our children. The three of you are my greatest treasures. You, Isaiah, and Isabel mean more to me than anything else in this world. For you, the love of my life and mother of my children, I wish the most amazing Mother's Day, because to me you are truly amazing. You amaze me every day with the things you are able to achieve and the amount of love you give to me and our children. Happy Mother's Day to you, my beautiful wife._

Below the message, just like on the notes from her children, there was the additional writing at the bottom, _May 14, 2017 Mother's Day Love you always, Chuck_

Tears were forming in Sarah's eyes. She truly was the luckiest woman in the world to be loved so much.

Chuck took Sarah's hand in his and pulled her in for a kiss. "Happy Mother's Day sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, Chuck," Sarah kissing her husband's cheek, then moving on to his lips.

"I have something else for you," Chuck said as he placed a long, slender box in her hands.

Opening the box, Sarah felt the object inside, a bracelet. Carefully feeling the bracelet, Sarah came across a small rectangular charm with her son's name written in Braille followed by a smaller square charm with a stone in it. Feeling further along the bracelet, she found the same thing for her daughter.

A few more tears started forming in Sarah's eyes "Oh, Chuck. I love it! It's absolutely perfect! Thank you so much."

Sarah again leaned across the table to meet her husband's lips, this kiss lasting a little longer than the last one. She was indeed married to the most wonderful man in the world.

Chuck then removed the charm bracelet with the names and birth stones of their children and clasped it around Sarah's wrist.

At one P.M. the time for the mother & son dance had come. Sarah stood, her cane in her right hand. She then used it to get around to the other side of Isaiah's chair. Sarah helped her son out of his booster seat and set him down on the floor.

"Isaiah, sweetie, can you help Mommy get passed all the tables and over to where all the other mommies are going with their little boys, so that we can leave this with Daddy?"

"Okay Mommy."

Sarah handed her cane over to her husband and then took her son's hand. Together they then walked over to the dance floor.

Upon reaching the dance floor, Sarah lifted Isaiah into her arms and waited for the song to begin. Moments later, the music started playing, _Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd._

Sarah twirled around the dance floor with her son in her arms. Both of them had huge smiles on their faces as they danced together.

Five minutes after the mother/son dance, it was time for the mother & daughter dance. Sarah again asked for help in getting out to the dance floor and again once there, she lifted her child into her arms.

As soon as Sarah picked up Isabel, she started giggling, which caused Sarah to smile. Then the music began. This time the song was _In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride._

_In my daughter's eyes I am a hero__  
I am strong and wise and I know no fear__  
But the truth is plain to see  
She was sent to rescue me_

Those words rang so true to Sarah's ears. Isabel didn't care that her mother couldn't see. To her, she was the best mommy in the whole world.

_This miracle God gave to me, gives me  
strength when I am weak_

Her daughter's complete acceptance of her, helped her through the times when the rest of the world wasn't as kind. It was because of Isabel's love, as well as the love she received from Isaiah and Chuck that prevented the rest of the world from ever hurting her. She was loved and accepted by the people who truly mattered.

Finally, the time came for the dance between husband and wife. Chuck set Sarah's cane down in his chair and then led her out onto the dance floor, where Sarah laid her head against Chuck's chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat while waiting for the song to begin. The song chosen for the husband/wife dance was _Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban._

_I'm gonna be here for you from now on_

_This you know somehow_

_You've been stretched to the limits but it's alright now_

Sarah went in for a sweet kiss at that moment. Those words bringing back memories of how Chuck helped put her back together after she first went blind.

_And I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust makin' memories of us  
Ohhh  
And I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you  
And I'll win your trust makin' memories of us  
Mmmmm  
Ohhhhhhhh Oh Baby Mmmmmmm_

As the song began to fade out, Sarah started kissing Chuck again. They were still wrapped up in each other's embrace after everyone else had gone back to their tables, leaving them standing alone together on the dance floor. It wasn't until a couple minutes later that they finally broke from the kiss and rejoined their children.

After leaving the restaurant, the four of them returned home and changed out of their good clothes. Then Chuck, Isaiah, Isabel and Sarah with her cane, headed out to the backyard to play.

Sitting together in a circle, they rolled a ball back and forth between each other. Every time the ball was rolled to either Isaiah or Isabel, they would squeal with delight. Putting smiles on the faces of Chuck and Sarah.

After they stopped playing with the ball, they played a game of duck, duck, goose. As it was Mother's Day Sarah got to go first. Using her cane to walk circles around her family, she patted their heads saying "duck, duck, duck, duck..." until she suddenly yelled "goose!" after touching Chuck's head.

He got up and chased her around the circle but she was too fast for him, so Sarah got to go again, this time picking Isaiah. Just before she made it back to her seat, she slowed a little allowing her son to catch her. The game continued on with Chuck and Sarah sometimes allowing their kids to win and other times catching them.

Lastly, they played a game of hide-and-seek, with Sarah being the first to seek. Being blind, you might think this game would be hard for her, when if fact it was quite the opposite. All she needed was the tiniest sound and she could tell exactly where someone was hiding. If feet shuffled on the grass or someone brushed up against something, Sarah could find them.

She always found Chuck no problem. When it came time to finding her children, she would come up really close to where they were hiding and say something like "Where could Isaiah be? Maybe... he's behind this tree" or "Hmm. I wonder where Isabel is hiding? Might it be over here!?" then she would tickle them as they rolled in the grass giggling.

That evening, everyone settled on the couch. Sarah sat really close to Chuck and leaned her head over on his shoulder. Isaiah and Isabel curled up in their parents laps. Chuck then began to read them one of their favorite stories, _The Three Little Pigs._

As soon as the story was finished, Isaiah and Isabel fell asleep against their Mommy and Daddy. Not wishing to move them just yet, Chuck and Sarah, gently held them close.

This was the kind of life Sarah could've only dreamed of before meeting Chuck. If someone were to offer her the chance to go back and prevent the incident that left her blind, she wouldn't take it. She would choose instead to remain blind for the rest of her life. It's what has brought her to this point, snuggling on the couch with her amazing, loving husband and her precious twins, Isaiah and Isabel. Her life couldn't be any more wonderful, well... maybe it could, with a new little addition to the family.

"Honey, I have something to tell you..."


End file.
